Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 5.4
Before LuxuryCulture.com came along in 2004, online luxury
communications were drab, uninteresting and presented in a bland manner.
The general feeling at this time was that the Internet was unsuitable for
luxury communications and that it was impossible to evoke luxury online.
LuxuryCulture.com decided to challenge this by inventing horizontal
navigation - which is now copied by everyone - and adopting simplicity
while avoiding being trapped in building a magazine based on HTML for
web referencing but, rather, introducing an all-flash website that has built its
reputation on the exceptional experience that it provides
websites that are transparent and those that have a hidden agenda. They now
consider certain blogs as trustworthy as any traditional media, if not more.
But both the luxury brands and media brands are learning as well.
Strategies and approaches for online communications
E-communication is the oxygen of luxury online presence: there is no question
about it. Information about luxury brands, luxury products, services, retail, life-
style and business circulate in cyberspace on millions of websites and through
thousands of discussion threads. Every luxury brand ought to communicate
online and demonstrate commitment to presenting the brand's image through
a strong message, beginning from the brand's website. I still hear some luxury
brands say that the Internet is not their “thing”. They often say that a luxury
brand needs to build its reputation in the real world and, if they do this suc-
cessfully, the Internet “people” will speak about them. Well, the reality is that
millions of other parties are doing the communicating for the brands that have
refused to communicate online and in some cases the information distributed
could be erroneous and negative to the detriment of the brand.
Luxury brands no longer control their online presence and the informa-
tion that is passed about their affairs among cyber-residents. This is one of the
